Midnight Memories
by NekuSakuraba101
Summary: "If Kido ever found out where I really went at night, she'd kill me. But then these are some of my best and most precious memories of her." For KanoKido day.


"Don't stay out too late." she says, her usual warning to me. She really is like a doting, over protective mother.

"I won't~" I promise her and give a small wave before stepping out through the open door.

Kido doesn't know it, or maybe she does, but she's very easy to read. Sometimes she is so much of an open book it's almost endearing. That's why, even though she tries to seem stoic, indifferent, and unaffected when I leave, I can always see that flicker of worry in her eyes. I can tell she's uneasy when I go, like she thinks I'll get into some type of trouble. And she's right.

Haha! I joke, I joke. Sort of~

Still, it's nice to know she cares. But truly, there is no need for it some days, because I'm a lot closer than she thinks. If Kido ever found out where I really went at night when I'm supposed to be out strolling, she'd kill me, body bag and all.

I haven't been doing it long, I guess, just over a year or so, I think. And it's not like I'm some kind of pervert or anything, it's just... well, maybe it'd help if I start from the beginning.

It all started when we first rented out our "secret base". Back when it was only the three of us, Seto, Kido, and I and our three house keys since Kido said we should have one for each of us. But we hadn't learned to keep a spare under the door mat yet.

Incidentally, one night I came home at 3 a.m. from where? I can't even remember, but I hadn't really gotten used to this nocturnal inner clock I had begun to set myself to and had left the key inside before I went out. And like I said before, we hadn't gotten a spare yet, which left me with only one option to getting inside: Get in through a window.

It took a while but after I'd managed to get onto the fire escape I worked on getting in. It was hard but luckily I'd finally managed to prop open the nearest window, which incidentally happened to be the window in Kido's room.

If I messed around and woke her up I knew it would be like waking a sleeping giant, and I mean that almost literally. Kido's bed was right below the window sill, so my decent from outside to inside was soundless. Once I felt like I was out of danger I looked back at Kido's sleeping form. Her back was facing me, her long hair spreading out over her pillow. After making sure I hadn't been noticed, I breathed an audible sigh of relief, which in the still, silent bedroom sounded almost as bad as blaring sirens.

I'd planned to leave, always had since I learned the room was Kido's, but then I realized this was the first time I'd been in her room of course I'd seen fleeting glances before the door was slammed rudely in my face by its owner, but I'd never been _inside_ before.

"You have a very nice room, Kido." I'd whispered quietly even though I knew I'd never get a response. It was a lot cleaner than mine other than some books and other miscues items scattered across the floor. Kido shifted in her sleep I was scared for a moment that I'd woken her up. But no, she'd remained asleep and unaware of my presence. Then another realization hit me; I could see Kido sleeping.

You're probably thinking I'm some sort of creep, but to me, at the time, it seemed like a once in a lifetime opportunity. We're talking about the girl who, for years now, had been hiding behind a rough outer shell. I was' just curious as I remembered what she used to look like sleeping when we were little.

The floorboards creaked painfully under my weight, but somehow it all felt worth it for just one glance at her face. And when I finally did see her something stirred in my stomach. The dim light didn't illuminate her features to the point of pure clarity, but I still managed to see her form. Her hair was ruffled in the back from sleeping and a few strands were cast over her closed eyelids. Her lips were parted slightly as she breathed slow, steady breaths while her arms encircled the pillow her head rested on.

I left right after that. I somehow felt different, almost as if I knew some sort of secret or seen something I shouldn't have. And in a way, I had. I felt like I'd seen the old Kido. The one who cried and ran for security during thunderstorms, who liked laughing and smiling, who had sobbed in front of me, begging me to save her. The one, it seemed, she'd tried to hide for so long.

At first I just dismissed it. Kido didn't know and I pretended as if it never happened. Later on though, I checked on her again. It was usually for only a few minutes once I came home, and this time I came through her bedroom door and not the window. I only did it whenever it crossed my mind, but as time passed it became more frequent, a habit. My visits ranged sometimes from an hour to two at the most. It's not like I just sat there the entire time and just stared at her. I did other things. Sometimes I read her books she kept laying around, other times I played games on my phone. I like to believe my presence was good for her, but I guess ill never really know. Out of all that time, she's never woken up once to turn me out. It feels nice to have Kido be the first to know I was home, without actually knowing.

And besides just getting to be there for her, there were other moments that made our midnight rendezvous worthwhile. Sometimes Kido talks in her sleep. Okay, maybe talked isn't really the right word. At first it seemed just like a stream of incoherent mutterings as Kido tossed and turned. Then I sometimes heard her mumble people's names, and I felt positively honored to have my name be among them along with Seto's and Onee-chan's. And as time passed, the list became even longer, until it included the entire Mekakushi Dan. I couldn't help but find it extremely cute.

Another thing was that she laughed in her sleep. This was less frequent than her mutterings, and softer. I really wish I could make her laugh like that when she's not asleep.

I know Kido would still kill me if she found out and then probably blush in that adorable way that she does. But, I feel it's worth it for now because... these, these night time visits are some of my best and most precious memories I have of her that I wouldn't give up for anything. Plus, on a less serious and immature level, it'll make great blackmail someday.

Ah! But you have to keep it a secret. After reading the whole thing I expect that much from you. So don't tell Kido, okay?


End file.
